It was found in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, 60 km east of Delhi, with one Ram Bhool, who has been detained. Police, who had been hunting for it ever since 14-year-old Aarushi was killed, believe it could contain valuable evidence.

Ram Bhool claimed he got the handset from his sister who is a sweeper in the area around the Talwars’ Noida home. “He claims she found the phone on the road near Aarushi’s house and kept,” said a police officer.

She gave it to Bhool in February, seemingly unaware the CBI — which took over the case from the Noida police — had offered a reward of Rs 1 lakh for it.

Police sources claim Bhool had been using it since then. “We traced him through the IMEI number of the handset for which we had put out an alert,” said a police source.

The handset’s memory is empty, but the CBI is hopeful some images of the photos taken with it can still be retrieved, which may provide clues to Aarushi’s murderer.